Auxiliary melting device



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 G. E. LEE

AUXILIARY MELTING DEVICE Fllecl June 18, 1922 April 28, 1925.

G. E. LEE

AUXILIARY NELTING DEVICE Filed June 16, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 shone-n or cnnvnnrinn, o

T16, ASSSIGNOR- T BI-IE GEORGE E. LEE COMEA'NY,

CEEVELAND, (EH18, A CQRPORATIQN 3F OHIO.

AUXILIARY MELTING DEVICE.

Application filed June is, 19:52. serial No. 568,695.

To (all whom it may concern."

Be it known that T, Gnonen E. LEE, a citizen of the United Eitates, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Auxiliary Melting Devices (Case A), 01"" which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The present invention relates to what may be termed an auxiliary melting device for delivering melted material to a reservoir or container.

Specifically, the invention as herein disclosed is particularly adapted for use as an auxiliary molten metal feeding device for use in connection with the melting pot or crucible of such a machine as a line type casting machine or type casting machine or lead and rule casting machine or a machine of similar character, but it should be understood that the particular construction herein disclosed is primarily for purposes of disclosure and is not a limitation on the invention.

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming apart of this specification in which Fig. 1 is an elevation with portions in section showing the device of the present invention, as applied to a reservoir or pot for use in connection with a line type casting machine or an analogous machine; Fig. 2is an elevation of a switch ing device showing its connection with a float controlled operating arm; Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the switching member, a heating coil and the connections therebetween; and 1 is a side elevation of the switching device.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a fixed member such as the side rail or frame of a type line casting machine or a similar machine, and at 2 the reservoir or melting pot of such a machine is shown. No other parts of the machine are herein shown, because they are not essential or necessary.

It will be understood that the reservoir or melting pot 2 contains molten metal, and from this pot the molten metal is delivered to the type line casting 'machine or similar machine.

Mounted on the fixed member 1 is a bracket 0 which is provided with a hooked end portion at that engages over the member 1 and at another part is provided with a set 5 screw 5 by which it may bear upon the under side of the fixed member 1 so that it is positioned and held upon the member 1. This bracket has a hollow hub like projection 6 which is integral or forms a part of or is attached to the bracket 3, and the interior of this part 6 is threaded to receive the lower end of a post 7. The upper part 0'1 the member 6 is slotted as indicated at 6 and there are cars 6 made integral with the member 6 on opposite sides of the slot,

and these ear members may be drawn together by means of a threaded member 6. This exerts a pinching and holding action upon the post 7 thereby to hold it in adjusted position. post 6 there is a head 8 mounted upon the rod which is positioned and held upon the rod by means of a set screw 9. This head has upwardly extending ears one of which is shown at 10, and pivotally mounted upon the ears is an arm 11 which may be raised into the upper position shown in dotted lines, and when so raised, if it be desired to hold it in this position, a pin 1:2 may be placed beneath the arm 11, as indicated in Fig. 1. The lower position of the arm 11 is regulated. by means of a set screw 13 which is carried by a lip 8 extending from the head 8.

The outer end of the arm receives an extension 14 from a melting cup 15, which cup at its upper end is provided with a flange 16 and upon this flange there may be mounted a barrel-like member 17, the same being held upon the flange by means of studs or screws or similar devices such as indicated at 18. The member 17 is adapted to receive ingots 19 of solid material, which are "fed into the crucible or melting cup 15. The melting cup 15 is provided with a cylindrical portion 15 at the upper part thereof, and a conical portion 15 at the lower part thereof, and the end of the ingot extends within the cup 15 and as it melts conforms to the inner surface of the conical portion of the cup. The internal diameter of the cylindrical portion of the cup is slightly greater than that of the ingot and hence the ingot when properly guided by the member 17 does not touch the cylindrical portion of the cup but is guided directly into engagement with the conical portion of the cup.

Heat is supplied to the melting cup by an electric resistance coil, which is indicated At the upper end of the P at 20, and for this purpose the cup is preterably provided with spiral grooves upon the conical portion thereof which terminate in circumferential grooves upon the cylindrical portion thereof, and the two terminals of the heating coil are indicated at 20.

The melting cup or crucible is more tally described in my eo-pending application Se rial No. 568696 filed or even date herewith.

The crucible and heatingcoil is packed with wet resisting material such as inflicated at 21, and this is encased in a casing or sheath 22. The crucible is so mounted with respect to tl e reservoir or metal pot 2 that it is directly above the same, and near the surface of the molten metal so that the molten metal which may be delivered from the crucible as the resistance heating ele ment functions will be delivered directly to the molten metal within the reservoir 2, and protected from the air as much as possible so as to eliminate the torii'iation of dross or other oxidation products.

Mounted adjacent to or upon the reservoir 2 is a supporting member 23. l his supporting member .43 is preferably detachably carried by the reservoir. The support 23 has an upstandingpart 23 upon which is pivoted an arm 24. This arm is provided with a plurality of openings such as indicated at 24;, and in these openings there is received a pin 25 carried by the support 23 which forms a pivotal n'iountiiigr for the arm 21, and the arm is held upon the pin by means of a cotter pin 26.

The arm 21' at its outer end carries a float 2? which extends within the reservoir 2, and is in position to co-opcrate with the molten material therein, and as the tloat rises a falls it moves the arm 24 about the piii 4/: as a pivot. At one end (it the arm 2:: 2 beyond its pivotal point is an extending porind tion 28 which is pivotally mounted upon the arm 24, as indicated at The portion 28 is adjustable with respect to the arm 24-, and this adjustment is secured by means of two set screws such as indicated at 30, which are carried by the extension 28, and bear upon the arm 24:. Adjustment of these set screws will regulate the angular position oi the part 28 with respect to the arm 2t. The portion 28 is formed with a reentrant slot 81.

Mounted upon the bracket 3 or in any similar convenient position is a switch member which in the present instance is a mercury switch member. This switch as shown comprises a base portion 33 and end members and Extending; into and between the end members Ed and 35 is an outer cylindrical member 36, which is of glass, and associated with the men'ibcr 36 are the end members 36 which are prei' erably of metal. Inside ot the member 36 another cylindrical men ber 36 which also extends members 36 have pin eriteiis'ons such as indicated at 36 by which the member is: nounted in the end members 3-iand 85 and will turn axially.

At one end oi? the member 36 is a terminal member 37 which co-operatos vith a conductor 38 inside of the cylindrical iiieuiber 36. Upon the other member ac there is also a tern'iinal member as indicated a? 3-9, and it CODlHltllllCtltQS with a conductor 4:0 which is within the cylindrical member 36. This cylindri al member 36 and cylindrical member 3 are partially tilled with n'iercury so that when the cylindrical members are turi ed in one position, that is with the hole 36 downwardly, electrical communication between the electrodes 38 and 4:0 is established through the mercury; but when the members are moved so that the hole 36 is up and above the level of the mercury in the tube 36, then contact is broken.

()ne oil? the members 36" is provided with an upstanding portion 41, and the end member is provided with oppositely disposed pins one of which is indicated at 4,2, which pins stand in the path 0t HIOVCH'IQllt of the inen'iber s to limit the rotation ot the cylindrical member so. The member 4-1 has a pin 43 secured thereto, which at its outer end engages one end of a spring '-i;%l-. The

opposite end of the spring is attached to an extension 5 which is carried by one arm a to of a bell crank lever. the other arm of which is int icated at 45 in Fig. t.

This bell crank lever is lllillilttt an Upright? t"? which may be supporte the bracket 3 sired manne".

l upon 5 upon or may be secured in any dcllhe bell crank love is pivoted by means of a pivot screw, such as Ill- (heated at The poi-tion 46 ot the hell crank lever WillCll has nst be i den il l (:1 has ex'ending therefrom at sub-st:- right angles a pin 49, and this pin is ada t ed to extend into the slot 31 of the adjustable arm 28 which has been previously described.

It will be seen that as the (teat moves in accordance with the rise and tall oi the material within the reservoir the arm 2?- will move about its pivot and the nzteu." of the arm 24: will move the arms 45 of the be l crank lever. t have a considerable range of movement as nay also the bell crank levers 4-5. ii i, w thout causing rotation of the switch member 36, because the bell crank lever will move until the end of the spring which is attached to the lower end or" the arm {to of the bell crank lever and to the pin 53 moves yoiid the center upon which the cylimlricai switch member 36 is mounted, but as soon as this takes place the spring positively and quickly rotates the cylindrical member 36, until the member ll engages with one of the stop pins 42.

It will be obvious that the arrangement is such that when the float is up, that is to say, when the level of the material in the reservoir is at the highest desired point, it will operate to turn the cylindrical switch member 36 in the direction which will break the circuit between the conductors 38 and at), and, conversely, when the float member is at a lower point within the reservoir 2 the cylindrical member 36 will be so turned as to establish the connection between the conductors 88 and 4.0.

The relation between the parts for operat ing the cylindrical member 36 is such that the actual application of rotary movement to the cylindrical member 36 is accomplished at substantially the extreme points of movement of the float 27.

The heating element or coil 20 has one of its terminals connected wit-h the electrode terminal 37, while the other end of the re sistance coil is connected with one side of the energiz ng circuit. The other side of the energizing circuit may be connected with the terminal electrodes 39. Therefore, the operation of the switch will serve to make or break the connection between the outside energizing circuit and the heating coil, and the float therefore directly operates the switch which functions in the manner that has just been described.

Having described my invention, 1 claim:

1. The combinat on with a reservoir a dapted to contain material in molten form, of a melting cup mounted above the reservoir and adapted to contain material in solid form, an electric resistance element associ' ated with said cup, an oscillating switch controlling the functioning of the resistance element, a pivoted arm, a resilient member connecting the arm with the switch, pivoted member having operative connection with said arm, and means responsive to the level of the material in. the reservoir and having operative connection with the pivoted memher.

2. The combination with a reservoir adapted to contain material in molten form, of a melting cup mounted above the reservoir and adapted to contain material. in solid form, a electric resistance element associated with said cup, an oscillating switch controlling the functioning of the resistance element, a pivoted arm, a resilient member connecting the arm with the switch, an eX- tension carried by said arm, a pivoted member mounted adjacent the reservoir and having; a loose connection with the extension carried by said arm, and means responsive to the level of the material in the reservoir and having operative connection with the pivoted member.

3. The combination with a reservoir adapted to contain material in molten form, of a melting cup mounted above the reservoirg and adapted to contain material in solid form, an electric resistance element associated with said cup, an oscillating switch controlling the functioning of the resistance element, a pivoted arm, a resilient member connecting the arm with the switch, av pivoted member mounted upon the reservoir and movable therewith said pivoted member having a loose but operative connection with tl c said arm, and means responsive to the level of the material in the reservoir and having pivotal connection with the pivoted member.

4. The combination with a reservoir adapb ed to contain material in molten form, of a melting cup mounted above the reservoir and adapted to contain material in solid form, an electric resistance element associated with said cup, an oscillating switch controlling the functioning of the resistance element, said switch being mounted adjacent the reservoir, an arm pivoted adjacent said switch, a resilient member connecting the arm with the switch, said arm having; an extension having a pin thereon, a pivoted member mounted upon one side of the reservoir and movable therewith, said arm having a slotted portion which engages with the said pin, and means responsive to the level of material in the reservoir and having operative connections with the pivoted memher.

5. The combination with a reservoir adapted to contain material .in molten form, of a melting cup mounted above the lCSQl'VOll. and adapted to contain material in solid form, an electric resistance element associated with said cup, an oscillating; switch controlling the functioning of the resistance ele ment, said switch being; mounted adjacent the reservoir, an arm pivoted adjacent the said switch, a spring member connecting the arm with the said switch whereby movement of the arm to move the switch is exerted through the said switch, said arm having; an extension, a pin carried by said extension, a pivoted member mounted upon the side of the reservoir but mlovable therewith, said arm having a slotted portion which engages with the pin, said slotted portion being ad justable with respect to the pivoted member, and means responsive to the level of the material in the reservoir and having operative connections with the pivoted memher.

6. The combination with a reservoir adapted to contain material in molten form, of a melting cup mounted above the reservoir and adapted to contain material in solid form, an electric resistance element associated with said cup, an oscillating switch controlling the functioning of the resistance element, a pivoted arm mounted adjacent the said switch and extending substantially parallel with a portion of the switch, a spring member secured to the arm at one end, said spring member being secured to the oscillating switch above the axis of its rotation, the movement of said arm to oscillate the switch being exert-ed through said signature.

GEORGE E. LEE. 

